Unfading
     Beauty

She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

—PROV 31:19-20

Selfishness is a trait that the worthy woman seeks to eliminate from the list of her character qualities.  By definition it means having such regard for one’s own interests and advantage that the happiness and welfare of others become of less concern than is appropriate.  Selfishness stems from pride and is first in the list of sins most detested by God (Prov 6:16-19).   Taken to extremes, it can be deadly.

The body of an ancient woman mummified by the volcanic ashes of Mount Vesuvius was unearthed when the Roman City of Pompeii was excavated. Her feet pointed toward the city gate, but her outreached arms and fingers were straining for something that lay behind her.  The treasure for which she was grasping was a bag of pearls.  Of her it was written, “Though death was hard at her heels, and life was beckoning to her beyond the city gates, she could not shake off their spell . . . but it was not the eruption of Vesuvius that made her love pearls more than life.  It only froze her in this attitude of greed.”¹   Her position told a tragic story of selfishness.

Anything can fuel the flames of excessive desire and greed.  If not checked, they can destroy women (Prov 1:19).  The wealthy landowners in Isaiah’s day acquired more and more houses and fields until they had a monopoly (Isa 5:8).  But God said that they would become desolate and their lands would not produce (vv. 9-10).   Wise is the woman who lives by the principle that if she is not satisfied with what she has, she will never be satisfied with what she wants.

Several characteristics describe the worthy woman’s attitude toward money and material possessions.  All resources are a gift from the Lord to be utilized with discretion (Deut 8:18; Acts 4:32-37; 1 Tm 6:17-19).  God does not love the poor and hate the rich.  The Bible reports a number of godly individuals who were exceedingly wealthy—Job, Abraham, Joseph, David, Solomon, Josiah, Barnabas, Philemon, and Lydia—to name a few.  God does, however, hate false gain (Prov 1:19), wrong motives for acquiring wealth (Prov 13:11), and a lack of compassionate generosity among the wealthy (Prov 14:20-21; 16:19).  The wise woman applies the truth of Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.”

The worthy woman possesses an attitude of contentment that corresponds with the New Testament teaching found in 1 Timothy 6:6-8 which essentially means that Godliness + Contentment = Great Gain!  Evidence that wealth is not the source of her contentment is found in her attitude of humility patterned after her Lord (Phil 2:8; 1 Pet 5:5).  She does not trust in her wealth for security (Ps 20:7; Prov 11:28), and is a gracious (Prov 11:16), generous woman (Prov 31:19-20).

The worthy woman exhibits an absence of selfish attributes.  She is not too busy with her own affairs to take time to assist others. The spindle and distaff—two flat, circular objects used to work textile fibers—were tools of the day.  The worthy woman used them to provide for her family, herself, and the less fortunate.  That “she opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy” indicates her response to calls for help (Prov 31:20).  Her actions demonstrate both responsiveness and initiative; she gives when she is asked and is sensitive to offer assistance when she is not asked.  Embracing a spiritual attitude toward helping, the worthy woman is like Dorcas, who was “full of good works and acts of charity” (Acts 9:36).
 
Unselfishness is most graphically demonstrated in the worthy woman’s willingness to share her time with others.  Time is our most precious commodity, and the highest compliment that can be paid to another is the time we share with them.  This woman is not a respecter of persons (Jas 2:1-13) but rather is willing to place before the Lord the requests of all who desire to benefit from her wisdom.

Next week’s posting is focused on Being Prepared.

¹ Clovis Chappell, Feminine Faces: Sermons on Women of the Bible  (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1974), 21.

"Portraying Christian Femininity" by Patricia E. Ennis is from the book Think Biblically edited by John MacArthur with the Master's College Faculty, copyright 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crosswaybooks.org

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

-PROV 31:18A

    Budget and diet are two words that conjure up visions of economic and nutritional deprivation. Each word, however, possesses a positive and negative connotation. A budget can be established for either a high or low income. A diet can constitute an unlimited or restrictive daily caloric intake. The principle of being economical challenges the worthy woman to refrain from wasting time, money, fuel, or any other resource. Implementation of the principle ensures that she operates her home on a budget (a plan for spending) and that it balances each month (not too much month at the end of the money).

    The worthy woman of Proverbs 31 perceives that money involves stewardship. As an accomplished seamstress and nutritionist, she recognizes quality. With a practiced eye, she seeks out a bargain that reflects excellence. Concurrently, her knowledge and skill allow her to make the appropriate decision of whether to make the purchase, pay for the service, or personally perform the task.

Next week’s posting is focused on Being Unselfish.

"Portraying Christian Femininity" by Patricia E. Ennis is from the book Think Biblically edited by John MacArthur with the Master's College Faculty, copyright 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crosswaybooks.org

She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

                                    —PROV 31:17

Physical fitness, i.e. being in good physical condition and healthy, is enthusiastically affirmed by many twenty-first century women.  The biblical application is defined by three words . . . suitable, proper, and fit.  They describe the worthy woman’s attitude toward the condition of her body.  A concern for what is suitable guides the worthy woman in the selection of physical toning activities that prepare her to fulfill the demands of her life. A concern for what is  proper encourages her to select activities that are dictated by good judgment.  A concern for what is fit expands the definition to challenge her to possess the qualifications necessary to meet the purposes, circumstances, and demands of her life. 

                First Timothy 4:8 directs wise women to the truth that “for while bodily training is of some value,

godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” The

worthy woman will be more concerned about the highest priority of her character without neglecting her body

tone (1 Pet 3:3-6).  The following guidelines addressing her attitude toward her body will help balance the

physical and spiritual sides of fitness. First, she has a realistic attitude towards personal capabilities.  God

provides health parameters to assist us in being sensible about the responsibilities we assume.  Just

because a woman can perform a skill does not mean that she should.  Purposely pushing beyond safe health

parameters would be like a woman jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge and then praying on the way down

that she won’t get hurt!  This would be sinfully presumptuous.

Second, the worthy woman acknowledges that her body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that it is her responsibility to make it a fit dwelling place for Him (1 Cor 6:19-20).  It is a sobering thought to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit will not empower a spiritually dirty vessel. 

Third, she realizes that she must be healthy to perform her duties efficiently.  Cultivating this quality requires the freedom from all habits that would injure her physically, mentally, or spiritually (Rom 12:1-2).

 Fourth, she understands the importance of recreation to maintain a healthy body.  Mark 6:31 and Luke 9:10 describe our Lord’s sensitivity to his disciples’ need for rest and privacy from their demanding ministry.  The worthy woman will adopt our Lord’s model.  

Fifth, she accepts the fact that, sometimes “others can, she cannot.”  It is an exercise in futility to compare her capabilities with those of others, since each woman is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14).

Finally, the worthy woman has a clear perspective regarding her body cycling.  She wisely accommodates to its ebb and flow. The circumspect physical conditioning of the worthy woman allows her to be involved in the lives of others.  She will balance the care of her home with the care of her body to avoid becoming a worried, frazzled, and defensive woman who sacrifices herself on the altar of domesticity or physical fitness.

Next week’s posting is focused on Being Economical.

"Portraying Christian Femininity" by Patricia E. Ennis is from the book Think Biblically edited by John MacArthur with the Master's College Faculty, copyright 2003.  Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crosswaybooks.org.